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Just two month after going to France, 106 ATC RE was instructed to return Sapper K Venables to Doncaster. It had now been proved that he was under the nineteen year old which was the minimum age set for members of the BEF. Ken’s mother was alarmed to discover that her son had signed up put himself in harm’s way and took her case to her Member of Parliament. With her memories of the First World War, she was terrified that her son would perish in the trenches. Her persistence paid off.

Sapper Ken Venables was taken out of the line, only to be returned to the front as soon as he turned 19, this time working at the front line as part of a demolition. They were kept very busy in May 1940 as they blew bridges just before the arrival of he German tanks. Ken’s team was separated from their unit while blowing another bridge to slow the German advance.

Unknown to Ken, or his mother, it was impossible to cheat his fate! Ken retreated in various ‘borrowed’ vehicles across northern France and must have joined the rest of his former comrades escaping from Brittany. Ken would also be sent to North Africa at the same time as his previous unit and would eventually be captured on the same day as those he had originally gone to war with.

This story was submitted to the people’s War site by a volunteer from CSV Oxford on behalf of the Ken Venables of Conisborough. It is a summary of two taped interviews and he gave written permission for all the material to be published. He understands the site’s terms and conditions.

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